Social Welfare and EU Law

Book excerpt: The assumption that Member States of the European Union enjoyed exclusive competence over social provision has been shaken by the realisation that they are now “semi-sovereign welfare states” whose policy choices are subject to increasing scrutiny under Community law. This book seeks to take stock of how Community membership is reshaping the legal environment of welfare provision across Europe. Topics covered include: the evolving economic and governance debates about Community intervention in social rights; the relationship between public services and Community competition and state aids law; the crucial developments which have taken place in the sphere of health care; and recent judgments on free movement and equal treatment for Union citizens as regards national education and social assistance policies. Social Welfare and EU Law provides a valuable collection of essays overall exploring the emergence of new models of social solidarity within the European Union.